We Say YES to Mexico. Here's Why...

By: Tom Brussow -Owner, Sunsational Beach Vacations
In 2018, I definitely said Yes to Mexico having recently returned from my 4th trip of the year to the Cancun/Riviera Maya area.
These adventures included stays at the Grand at Moon Palace, Dreams Playa Mujeres, and Secrets Playa Mujeres. I finished out the year with a group of industry colleagues at one of my all-time favorite spots…the El Dorado Royale by Karisma.

​At every turn, I was very pleased as the airport staff, van drivers, bellmen, waiters, bartenders, and housekeepers that I encountered along the way were without a doubt among the friendliest, most gracious, hard-working, and amazing people that I have had the pleasure to meet. 

I do indeed say Yes to Mexico and there are a million reasons why.  First of all, after more than 60 visits, Mexico feels very much like my second home and I'm quite comfortable with the surroundings. Then, of course, there are the beaches and turquoise ocean, the amazing all-inclusive resorts, the excursions, tours, the food, the Don Julio tequila, the golf courses, the Mexican culture and the warm hospitality of the Mexican people just to name a few of the attributes. 

For all of these reasons and many more, the destination of Mexico is a true favorite. Hopefully too, this is meaningful to our clients as our knowledge and passion for the destinations, the resorts and for our treasured Mexican colleagues factor into the quality of the vacation recommendations we make.

So knowing all that, when someone tells me that Mexico isn’t a safe place to go on vacation, I have to passionately disagree! Why? I give all my years of memorable personal experiences a significantly higher degree of credibility compared to the sensationalist news stories being circulated in the media that seem to be driving (shall I say) a less than well-informed public. 

It seems like the media just loves to tell bad stories about our neighbors to the south. My guess is that their motivation isn’t all that altruistic as with consumer interest and fear can come lucrative web page clicks and brand notoriety. In other words, portraying tourism to Mexico and the Mexican people in a negative light and inciting fear in the general public can be good for their business. 
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A good example are the purely anecdotal stories about the resorts serving so-called “tainted alcohol”. The media has been trying to keep this unsubstantiated story alive for close to two years without offering any first-hand proof such a sample of actual tainted alcohol obtained from a resort. It again makes me more skeptical considering this absence of proof as to what is the driver of this continuing narrative? Further, the numbers simply don’t support the assertions and the allegations.  Finally, if you believed that tainted alcohol was a real thing, you would also then have to believe that that the resorts and/or the employees are indeed intentionally acting against their own self-interests with very serious associated risks. If so, for what purpose or benefit? My personal experience and common sense tell me that no resort would behave this way and it is simply not in the nature of the Mexican people who depend on the resorts and tourism for their income.

Above all, the resorts are focused on providing the best possible service and experience for their guests fully realizing that tourism is the lifeblood of their economy. The workers frequently express their gratitude for American tourists who they feel are responsible for the highly valued job that allows them to provide for and help ensure their families can have a better life. These are the types of people you are bound to encounter in your trip to Mexico. Is it ever their aim or in their best interest to harm you in any way? Absolutely not!

So what about the reports of violence, the bad elements in Mexico and the U.S. State Dept. travel warnings?  Yes, it is true that there have been occasional reports of violence in Mexico. When this occurs, we all are immediately aware as the wide-scale media reporting seems to clearly resonate with the general public and often reinforces their concerns. What people fail to put into perpective however is that comparatively the instances of violence in the tourist areas of Mexico are no greater and often lower than many cities in the U.S. There are people with bad intentions in every city or town including the one you live in every day. That is just the reality of the world we live in.
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As far as the State Dept. Travel warnings are concerned, I also think we need to put this into the proper context. The reality is that Mexico's tourist areas carry the same level travel warning as popular international destinations including the U.K, Italy, and France. Also, data comparing the safety of Cancun, Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, and Los Cabos show that these popular destinations rank higher on the safety rating index than many major U.S. cities.

So, as you consider your next vacation and if Mexico could be a good spot for your family trip, Destination Wedding or Honeymoon, here some important statistics to consider: 

• Mexico hosts more than 20 million U.S visitors a year 
• Mexico is 6th most visited global tourist destination which is way us from 15th in 2013
• 94% of U.S. visitors reported an experience that exceeded their expectations and 86% said they would like to come back again in the next six months 
• 80% of travelers view Mexico favorably as an international tourist destination
• Keep things in the proper context as Mexico’s Level 2 State Department rating is exactly the same as France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

With all that said, it is normal and understandable to ask questions and seek out more and better information as you consider your vacations plans. As professional travel agents, we field a variety of questions and we are here to help you to plan and purchase a safe, fun, and memorable vacation. In accomplishing that, we consider a number of factors in our recommendations...quality, value, price, experience, service, and yes safety. 
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So, we do indeed say YES to Mexico and strongly feel that you can do the same with a high level of confidence that Mexico is a safe destination for your next vacation!

​Want some additional information? Here is a very helpful website where you can get the real facts about Mexico:
www.YEStoMexico.org
Thanks and please let us know if you have any questions or concerns before you go!